LEGO: A Love Story

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From the start, you knew that Lego was different from other toys. It made the stuffed animals and toy trucks and Radio Flyer wagons seem juvenile by comparison. Lego — which Feb. With a few hours and a little concentration, you could turn a pile of colorful blocks into a plastic kingdom, presided over by stiff little men in Justin Bieber haircuts. How many hours did you spend — back in those early, glorious days — configuring and reconfiguring a single set of blocks? How many pieces did you lose?

How many did you ingest? The Lego people, bless their hearts, were always happy to keep the good times rolling. Every week, it seemed, they were churning out some newer, more intricate set, which always found its way to the shelves of the local Toys R Us. There were Lego pirate ships and Lego tropical islands, Lego airports and Lego fire stations.

True, in all those years, you might have never actually fully completed a set the way it was meant to be completed. But then that was never really the point. With Lego, as with life, it was always more about the journey than the destination. In hindsight, you probably should have noticed the early signs of trouble. The handful of SilverHawks toys, which began accompanying you, more and more, on car rides and grocery store trips. And the battery-powered race-car set that burst on the scene one Christmas.

But then came the Nerf footballs and the nunchucks, the water guns and the Hungry Hungry Hippos — toys that lit up or sprayed water or, in special cases, could be used to inflict a not-insignificant amount of damage if deployed against a little sister. Each new toy clamoring for your attention.

Each one pushing Lego a little further down the toy-box hierarchy. Before long, the Saturday afternoons once devoted to Lego castles were being spent playing with a slime-like substance called Nickelodeon Gak. There was no turning back, after Super Nintendo. As neighborhood friends piled into the basement to tap away on controllers, the Legos remained packed away in a closet somewhere, alongside old drawings and long-ago-discarded Micro Machines.

There's a lot of humor and some self-deprecation in this book, but Bender never takes the easy shot of making fun of these grownups who are obsessed with toys. He's able to delineate the difference between overgrown children or childishness and these people who have found a fountain of creativity in these toys. Just because they're playing with toys doesn't mean they're not adults, and Bender even finds the seedier side of the Adult Fans of LEGO with a chapter that explores some rather disturbing builds.

Bender does a good job of explaining the sometimes thick jargon that comes with LEGO, but it could still come across as fannish and obsessive for non-fans. The humanity that he brings to the book elevates it above just being a book about LEGO, and would probably keep non-fans reading. If you used to love LEGO, but you've grown out of it, this book is one that will show you what else is happening out there. I enjoyed every page of this book. It's well-written, entertaining and informative, and more moving than I expected. You should read LEGO: Mar 27, Craig rated it liked it.

I have recently been drawn to the little things and have more than a passing interest in them I believe "sudden crazy obsession" may have come from my wife's mouth once or twice. I'm intrigued by their history, their uses, building by set or by MOC "my own creation". And when I am obsessed with errr I found myself starting with this one because the narrative also started with someone who was coming to Lego somewhat fresh. Bender had Lego blocks as a child, but never as an adult Anyone that knows me or looks at my reading lists here on goodreads knows that I am a person of extremes.

I go "full literary" and act read like an adult, but I also fill much of my time with comics and novels about the things I loved as a kid.

Maybe it has just been a long time since I have "let my geek flag wave," but the disdain and shame that Bender felt coming back to toys as an adult was interesting to me. I guess I've been lucky to have been surrounded in my life quite often with friends who were both savagely intelligent and had a toy room at their home usually there weren't children in the equation. That reluctance makes for an interesting journey, though, into the world of Lego.

This isn't a life changing book. If you're already a full-blown Lego fan, there are probably much better choices out there.

But if you are just intrigued by the little bricks or if you know someone who is an AFOL and you would like to know more about how they may have gotten there or what they do, then this book is for you. My current interest lies in the creative aspect of Lego, the way that collectors often build their own narrative as they incorporate sets into their collections. I suppose, as a writer, that it makes sense that is what I would be drawn to about the toy This book doesn't really go into that at all. If anyone out there has a recommendation of books I should look into that dives into that realm more deeply, I'm definitely interested.

Jul 17, Mirrani rated it it was amazing Shelves: Holy cow, was this a wondrous find for me! Talk about reliving your childhood dreams of building! The premise behind this book does for the reader exactly what it did for the author: There is more to Lego than stacking bricks together and this book has it all. I always thought of myself as a casual builder who was somewhat interested in the toy, but this book had me turning pages faster than I have ever turned pages and left me wondering if I am really a serious fan at heart.

I suddenly wanted to start building with any set I could get my hands on, so beware! Collecting Lego sets is an expensive passtime, as this book clearly states in the examples of AFOLs that the author visits with. There is a secondary story wrapped up in all of this Lego learning, which is about the author himself. It is partly his rediscovery of building and his acceptance of allowing himself to become part of the Lego fandom and partly his desire to bring his renewed love of bricks to a future child.

This format made reading even more enjoyable. There were times I actually felt as if I were experiencing the pressure of my first building contest at a convention or seeing a museum piece for the first time. The storytelling gave the fact finding aspect a purpose within the work of exploration and by the end I felt as if I had actually parted with a friend.

You may not be an AFOL when you start reading this book, but you will be a lot closer to it once you finish.

Lego: a love story

Nov 27, Justin rated it really liked it. Part journal, part investigative reporting, Lego: A Love Story follows Bender's return to the iconic building bricks so many of us enjoyed as children while at the same time offering a history of the product and company as well as a fascinating look at what goes on in this very dedicated community. From Lego conventions to internet groups to sites that meticulously catalog, value and re In Lego: From Lego conventions to internet groups to sites that meticulously catalog, value and resell individual bricks never Legos, mind you , Bender covers every aspect of this unique community, and does so in a completely accessible manner.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I have my own obsessions and geek credentials though, so I can relate to Bender's passion for his hobby. His enthusiasm, not to mention some wry and self-deprecating comments, add a personal touch that makes Lego: A Love Story more enjoyable than an outsider's dispassionate take on the phenomenon. I think he dropped the ball a bit with the pregnancy subtext, waiting so long to bring up the infertility aspect that it seemed awkward.

Still, as a relatively new father I can certainly relate to the desire to have a shared interest with your child. There are some universal themes that you'll recognize here, and you'll definitely learn more than you thought possible about Lego. Sep 23, George rated it liked it.

As a disclaimer, I'll start by saying that I probably enjoyed this book because of the various connections I shared with the writer -- like him, I've just turned 30, am expecting a child, love LEGO, have a wife who won't play Monopoly with me any more, and grew up in Connecticut in the town right next to the home of LEGO's North American headquarters, actually, and it's one of my schoolmates whose father worked at LEGO who taught me that "LEGOs" is not a word, which is a most unfortunate pet peeve to have, since so many people use it. I suspect that those connections allowed me to overlook the book's flaws -- it's overly repetitive, for example, both in themes and in its habit of repeating definitions and explanations.

I would have liked more pictures, as his descriptions sometimes just didn't feel adequate. The exploration of the AFOL subculture is fascinating, although I felt the book could have been better structured and he could have dug deeper a few times. All in all, it was a decent book, but one which will only appeal to a limited number of people, and, unfortunately, I don't think I know any of those people.

Jan 20, L. Garcia rated it it was amazing. Jonathan Bender truly has a way of weaving a story together that brings back so many memories.

LEGO: A Love Story

All builders who continue to, or used to build with LEGO will find this book very easy to relate to. In a way, Bender's writing style takes the form of a diary where the reader accompanies him on a journey from his former self as a kid, to the L "Seeing the tower after all those years made me realize that still do love LEGO. In a way, Bender's writing style takes the form of a diary where the reader accompanies him on a journey from his former self as a kid, to the LEGO building adult fanatic he became.

The story travels across a plain of humorous, serious, informative, and inspiring events that Bender experienced as he sought after the legendary relic that amplifies the imagination. It was a period of time that Bender describes as the Dark Ages. Fortunately, I came out of the Dark Ages and now build frequently. Jonathan Bender's story connected with me in a way that I will always remember. As a 17 year old boy, I will forever use the word "play" instead of "hang" as a result. I would most certainly recommend this book to any human ever that has built with LEGO.

A five-star book indeed. Feb 29, Brittany rated it really liked it Shelves: Another audiobook finished courtesy of my recent slew of weekends driving to Boston- and a non-fiction piece, no less! The author's personal Lego history provides many poignant anecdotes that color the story in a most pleasing manner. Bender also weaves in his personal trials su Another audiobook finished courtesy of my recent slew of weekends driving to Boston- and a non-fiction piece, no less!

Bender also weaves in his personal trials such as his wife's repeated attempts to get pregnant, and it's very evident how Lego bricks are a stress reliever, therapy, and an escape for him, but also a social tool and a true love. His wife builds with him, and Bender draws parallels between their individual personalities and communication styles and their complementary building styles. The author's occasionally self-deprecating tone and lack of self-confidence in his building abilities, especially creative free-building ones, definitely resonated with me on a personal level, and I found myself mentally encouraging him on several occasions.

Overall, a solid book, evoking lots of childhood memories and even awe at Lego's business model, which seems to basically boil down to brick perfection and compatibility. I'm motivated to go dig out the boxes in my parents' basement, and eternally grateful for a mother who kept such childhood treasures. Nov 14, Rae rated it it was ok Shelves: As an adult, I've spent an inordinate amount of time staring at LEGO sets, trying to convince myself to pay the exorbitant prices attached to the more complicated sets.

So I was thrilled to find this book - a much cheaper alternative to live out some of my LEGO fantasies. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get behind this author. He's a journalist, so maybe the leap to novelist was just too much of a stretch. There was a lot of repetition in this book seriously, we get it, you have very sweaty palms As an adult, I've spent an inordinate amount of time staring at LEGO sets, trying to convince myself to pay the exorbitant prices attached to the more complicated sets. There was a lot of repetition in this book seriously, we get it, you have very sweaty palms and there was a very forced feeling subplot of trying to get pregnant.

I fell asleep twice while reading this book. It just got so extremely dry and repetitive at times. I was hoping for something more along the lines of Word Freak , but we got next to no detail about the people he meets other than a cursory physical description. I feel certain that people who devote this much time and energy to LEGO would have some interesting, identifying personality traits. Yet, whenever he describes a situation with more than two or three people, I had to abandon any pretense of keeping track of who was who.

In sum, an informative read, but so poorly executed it took all the joy out of a book about playing with toys. May 16, Lauren Monroe rated it really liked it. I read this book a few years ago as an admitted adult fan of LEGO. I made the hero in the book a fan himself. Shows a fun side to his serious character. I loved learning the lingo of AFOLs, the convention updates, the creations Bender built and his interaction with his wife, who was sometimes annoyed by the habit. If you've ever collected LEGO bricks -- you do not make that word plural I learned also -- then you understand how it can turn others' heads.

Quite an interesting event.

LEGO: A Love Story by Jonathan Bender

I'd never seen as many bricks -- not even in Orlando. One thing I'd love to see someone write about LEGO hobby or use is the therapeutic or educational settings where these colorful treasures help promote understanding, change, and fun. Maybe another Bender book someday? Nov 21, Martin rated it really liked it.

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This is a very unusual combination of autobiography, documentary, and anecdote. Personally, I found it really enjoyable, but it would be hard to recommend to someone who couldn't empathise with Johnathan's situation, i. I literally tick all those boxes, so for me, it felt like Johnathan was speaking to me in conversation, with his easy going style of writing. That said, This is a very unusual combination of autobiography, documentary, and anecdote. That said, whilst this is a relatively light read, Johnathan does an excellent job of pacing the book between his personal story, and the dryer history of The Lego Group and everything in between and adds just the right level of humour that keeps the book entertaining, whilst evading any sort of classification which might not be the right flavour for particular readers.

If you have any interest in the subject matter of the book lego and it's meaning and context in family and raising children , I strongly suspect you'll enjoy it, but if you are only passing by, it may not hit the right notes for you.

World's No. 1 source for LEGO news, reviews, and fan creations.

Well done Johnathan, and thanks for the read. I hope your little one is going well. Feb 23, Steve Li rated it it was amazing. This is a story about rekindled interest in Legos by a man in his thirties. He discovers that he is not alone - there is a large community of AFOLs adult fans of lego. AFOL generally played with Lego when they were young and then entered into the 'dark ages' where they lost interest.

Later in life, they refound their joy of building, often reinspired when they bought Legos for their children. The story is best, of This is a story about rekindled interest in Legos by a man in his thirties.

The story is best, of course, if you have some experience with Lego or if you want to share the enjoyment of someone who has discovered a hobby that brings some happiness into life. It describes what goes on at Lego conventions, Lego headquarters in Denmark and the interaction between master builders and the Lego company. The advent of 'high tech' into Lego via their robotics and Mindstorms products provides the possibility for the toy Lego into machines that can physically solve the Rubiks cube or even make a 3D printer This is a fun read about a fun hobby Nov 02, J L's Bibliomania rated it liked it Shelves: Full of vignettes from several LEGO conventions and public displays, the book also touches on his personal struggles as he and his wife try to start a family.

I am having a hard time articulating my tepid response to this book. On the good side, the book moves along, I did finish it, and I skid out of at least half the non-fic Lego: On the good side, the book moves along, I did finish it, and I skid out of at least half the non-fiction I start. Mar 30, Jaime rated it it was ok. I have no real experience playing with them and I don't have a particular interest in picking up bricks and starting now, so perhaps that colored my perception of the book.

And while the author did deliver this at times, it still felt like the book was more about the author's initial lackluster affection for LEGO. The side story about the couple's infertility seemed a bit gimmicky to me. I felt that the author struggled to fill all pages and so many of his chapters and stories seemed superfluous, especially those related to beginning a family.

I often found myself bored and looking forward to the end of the book. But if you are a big fan of LEGO, you might enjoy this book as the author may seem less like an intrusive character and more like a friend taking you on a LEGO-inspired journey.

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